My Favorite Pilates Moves for Postpartum

Try these if you’re a new mom!

Pre-baby, I had big ideas! 

The biggest of which was that in postpartum, I would keep up my routines, especially around fitness, with some slight adjustments.

But in reality, the change was R E A L.

The time constraints of being a mom were hard.

Recovering post-birth took longer than I thought.

And, the biggest impact?

My body felt completely different after having a baby.

It took me a long time to understand my postpartum body, the kind of movement it likes and what it needs. But, there were some simple Pilates moves that helped me figure it out.

When I work with clients who are returning from having a baby, we always start slow and usually we’re incorporating a few (and sometimes all) of the movements below. They’re gentle, strength-focused and a great place to start rebuild your Pilates routine post-baby:

• Cat Cow (or cat to neutral)

• Side Lying Leg Lifts

• Heel Slides

• Clamshells

Most importantly, don’t forget to breathe throughout each movement. It will not only help you rebuild strength slowly and with control, it’ll help your muscles get stronger too (plus, you’ll feel better because well…breathing is kind of important in keeping us alive).

What did you find to be the biggest challenge postpartum?